Child Safe Standard 1
Child Safe Standard 8: Physical and Online environments minimize the opportunity for abuse to occur
Gymnastics NSW believes reducing the risk of harm in physical and online environments is an important preventative mechanism. Risk management and ongoing reviews clarify potential risks were adult to child or child to child interactions occur or where the physical environment is unsafe. 
Guiding Principles and Key Behaviours


Child Safe Standard 8:  Physical and online environment minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur. 
Article 31 of the United Nations Rights of the Child: Children have the right to play and rest. 
Article 33 of the United Nations Rights of the Child: You have the right to protection from harmful drugs. 
Article 31 of the United Nations Rights of the Child: Children have the right to get information that is important to their wellbeing from various medium. Adults should make sure information children access is not harmful. 
Key Behaviours: Gymnastics NSW take a zero tolerance to any form of abuse and uphold adherences to policies, practices and disciplinary action to manage behavioural expectations. Education in anti-doping and sport integrity, online safety and personal interaction all form part on ongoing training. Facility Development support and support and consultation is provided to adapt and build minimal risk physical environments. 


Links and Information

Gymnastics NSW Event Safety and Protocols 

  1. Event Policy - see Gymnastics NSW Policies 
  2. Technical Handbooks 
  • Acrobatic
  • Aerobic 
  • Gymnastics for All
  • Men's Artistic
  • Rhythmic
  • Trampoline
  • Women's Artistic 
  1. Management of suspected spinal injury in a foam pit
  2. Management of a suspected neck injury on a trampoline 

Team Travel Safety and Protocols 

  1. Travel Policy - under review 
  2. State Teams Policy - under review  
What we expect to hear children say: 
"I know there are some spaces in the organisation I am not allowed in."
"I can talk to someone I trust about anything I have seen or done."
"I know what to do if I feel unsafe in the gym, around a person or online."
" I am asked about what makes me feel safe."

Ongoing Commitment

Gymnastics NSW is committed to situational prevention methods to minimize opportunities for risk of harm or abuse to occur. We believe protecting children and young people is everyone's responsibility and strongly advocate all adults and people in positions of power need to act as "prevention agents" by understanding what deters offender, ensuring physical and online environments minimise opportunities and empower children and young people to recognise when they feel unsafe and empower their right to say when they feel unsafe. 

Gymnastics NSW is committed to safe environment and has been recognised by Government Departments; winning three awards through Workcover NSW for safe sport practices following the development and implementation of WHS (2010), Risk management (2006) and Member Protection Strategies (2009). 

Gymnastics NSW achieves this through: 

  1. Education Gymnastics NSW provides workshops to GNSW staff, clubs, technical members and members. 
  2. Resources Gymnastics NSW develops video and written materials in child friendly language and made easily accessible through multi mediums as well as developing Guidelines for Online Behaviour and Standards for delivering online classes. 
  3. Enable  Gymnastics NSW and Gymnastics Australia provide online self -assessments for clubs to identify risks through access to Gymnastics NSW Business Hub. 
  4. Policy Gymnastics NSW Child Safe Child Friendly policies , Social Media Policy, and Acquiring and Displaying Images of Children Policy clearly articulate expectations regarding visual media and social media. All can be accessed via Gymnastics NSW Policies. 
  5. Guidelines  Gymnastics NSW  has guidelines in place for clubs through the Gymnastics NSW Business Hub.  for managing training in hot and cold environments.
Download and Share